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Eight themed cruises in 2017 and 2018 for you to pursue your passion

Fun and exciting: turn a holiday into an occasion with Cunard's themed voyagesCredit:
alamy

30 January 2017 • 4:49pm

Take a look at Cunard's incredible collection of themed cruises across 2017 and 2018, there is something for every traveller.

2017

ACunard cruise is not just about relaxing and exploring ports and cities with an agreeable lack of effort, but about experiences that turn a holiday into an occasion. If your first love is gardens, literature, science, wine, photography or genealogy, there is a themed voyage for you. These are not run-of-the-mill experiences but ones that are tailored for Cunard guests with style, imagination and pizazz.

Festival of Flowers

The Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Canaries enjoy a subtropical climate. The result is landscapes and botanical gardens bursting with indigenous plants and exotic specimens introduced over centuries. Queen Victoria will set out from Southampton in the company of gardening presenter and writer Gay Search and floral expert Christine Wright to investigate the finest gardens of these alluring destinations. From verdant ravines to formal layouts, including gardens with beautiful water features and statuary, guests will be treated to a huge array of flora in magnificent settings, with bespoke excursions supported by on-board talks and workshops.

British Isles Arts and Literary tour

1-14 July

Britain is a powerhouse of culture and this delightful circumnavigation of our own islands on Queen Elizabeth offers the opportunity to explore everything from Macbeth and Robert Burns to Harry Potter and Beatrix Potter. Giving insightful presentations on board will be actor Robert Powell, who has appeared in many theatre and television productions, and Louise West, Trustee of the Charles Dickens Museum and former senior curator of the Jane Austen House. The Glasgow of artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Dublin’s illuminated manuscript The Book of Kells are other options to discover along the journey, as is the ancient Norse culture of the Orkney Islands. Guests can choose to add a land tour visiting the most important sites of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.

Brush up on your skills: enjoy presentations on board from Robert PowellCredit:
getty

Transatlantic Fashion Week

31 August- 7 September

Join Queen Mary 2 next August on her Transatlantic Crossing to New York and bag a front-row seat at a Julien Macdonald OBE fashion show. The celebrated British designer joins the ship – together with models from Storm, the leading London agency – to give a preview of his creations. There’s a chance to learn more about the extraordinary world of fashion when leading fashion critic, Colin McDowell, interviews Macdonald. Plus guests can talk fashion with both men to their hearts’ content over the dinner table.

Flashing lights: bag a front-row seat at a top fashion showCredit:
getty

QE2 50th Anniversary cruise

8 -25 September

This unique voyage marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of what remains the most famous ocean liner in history, Queen Elizabeth 2 or the beloved “QE2”. The main event on this Mediterranean voyage on Queen Elizabeth is the grand commemorative dinner. Among the guest speakers on board will be Commodore Ronald Warwick, a former QE2 captain, following in the wake of his father, while Chris Frame is a maritime historian and author who has an intimate knowledge of Cunard. His new book on QE2 will be published to coincide with this voyage. The round trip from Southampton takes in many enchanting destinations such as Seville, Sicily, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Split and Venice.

Space Week

6 -13 October

The only planetarium at sea, on Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2, will take centre stage on an illuminating autumn Transatlantic Crossing. World Space Week, created by the United Nations, celebrates both the past and the future of space exploration. Guests can gather in the planetarium for two new presentations, narrated by James May, on asteroids and on engineering ingenuity. On board this celestial voyage will be four eminent guest speakers. Dr Jeffrey Hoffman is a former Space Shuttle pilot, Charles Barclay is from the Royal Astronomical Society, Ken Taggart is a Nasa historian and Stephen Attenborough represents Virgin Galactic. There is also the unmissable opportunity to join space-themed pre- and post-cruise excursions in New York and London.

An unmissable opportunity: celebrate both the past and the future of space explorationCredit:
getty

2018

Indulge your passions on a Cunard special event cruise during 2017 and 2018 on Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria or Queen Mary 2.

Voyage du Vin

1-8 June , 2018

Cunard is renowned for its on-board cellars and its newly revised wine list includes more than 400 different vintages from 23 countries. An enlightening voyage next summer on board Queen Victoria to Spain, Portugal and Guernsey is dedicated to lovers of fine wine.

Guests can expect masterclasses by leading producers, including sessions on how to assess wines like an expert, and there is the chance to gain a recognised certificate through the Cunard Wine Academy. Ports on the route from Southampton include Vigo in northern Spain, Lisbon and Oporto, the home of port wine. Ashore, excursions will focus on visits to highly regarded vineyards and cellars. Will Lyons, an award-winning wine writer and broadcaster, will be the special guest.

Lovers of fine wine: gain a recognised certificate through the Cunard Wine Academy

Midnight Sun Photography

1-13 July, 2018

Norway is known not just for its spectacular scenery but the crystal quality of its light. The combination of the two has long been a magnet for photographers. Next July, Queen Elizabeth will set out to explore both the fjords and the remote north of Norway, where the sun does not set during high summer. Late-night sailaways from two ports will enable guests to capture this phenomenon. On board will be three renowned professional photographers who specialise in landscapes and nature and who will help guests – whether they are novices or enthusiasts – to get the most out of their cameras through lectures, workshops and one-to-one sessions. Highlights of the voyage include Bodø, deep inside the Arctic Circle, and Geirangerfjord, noted for its magnificent waterfalls.

Snap happy: learn how to get the most out of your camera with classes on board Credit:
getty

Journey of Genealogy

4 -11 November, 2018

Tracing family history is a topic that captures the imagination. Cunard played a major role in emigration to the Americas and a special Transatlantic Crossing on Queen Mary 2 will be conducted in association with Ancestry, the authority on genealogy. Its experts will teach guests how to start researching their own history, perhaps even locating long-lost relatives, while unveiling the past secrets of selected guests and ship’s officers. Anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota and historian Suzannah Lipscomb will be on board to provide further insights. This compelling journey concludes with a dramatic morning arrival into the harbour of New York City.

Trace family history: discover your ancestor's past with the help of AnthropologistsCredit:
getty

Book now and receive a complimentary stateroom upgrade on your spring or summer 2017-18 voyage if you book by 28 February 2017. Terms and conditions apply.

Time, space and a life less ordinary

To travel with Cunard on the magnificent Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria is to enjoy an indulgent escape from the everyday and the mundane.